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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28865658">a particular turn of phrase</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/remi_wolf/pseuds/remi_wolf'>remi_wolf</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the superstitions, nay, the religion of internet league blaseball [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blaseball (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, Fan Culture - Freeform, Feels, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Language, Original Character(s), it's weird - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:02:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,206</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28865658</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/remi_wolf/pseuds/remi_wolf</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With life in the Immaterial Plane revolving in a slow orbit around the seasons and siestas of Blaseball, it only stands to reason that there be phrases and idioms and expressions that arise between fans as they look upon their idols and favorite players within their stadiums. Sometimes the phrases are simple, and at other times they're complex phrases that activate sleeper agents. Occasionally though, very occasionally, they are a quiet plea that mean "never again hurt us like that, please." And occasionally, those phrases immortalize one player so frequently overshadowed by his glittering twin sister.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>the superstitions, nay, the religion of internet league blaseball [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2104305</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>A Dictionary of Stories</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a particular turn of phrase</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/745782">The Deaths of Sebastian Telephone</a> by Blaseball: The Musical.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>rachel, <em> n </em> . and <em> adj </em> . <br/>A. <em> n. </em>  Also with capital initial. A light tan colour (originally and chiefly as a shade of face powder). Also attributive. <br/>B. <em> adj. </em> Of a light tan colour.</p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>In the Material Plane, there is a specific color named after a woman: rachel, a light tan color, the specific skin tone of an opera singer from years ago, so long that perhaps it is only this turn of phrase that is remembered of her. Now, it might not be that frequent in the Material Plane that such things happen, colors and objects and actions being named after people who have made such things their iconic signature. However, in the Immaterial place, such actions were commonplace and frequent. In fact, there were hardly ever conversations in which people didn’t pepper in obscure names and phrases to elevate their heroes and idols to levels not previously seen. </p>
<p>“Oh man, I can’t believe you Spliff’ed that! What were you <em> thinking </em>?” Danny says, punching Bobby in the arm as he laughed and dropped an ice pack on their eye, not quite as kindly as he could while they were nursing that black eye of theirs. </p>
<p>Meaning, of course, that Danny absolutely couldn’t believe that Bobby had tried to date three girls at the same time, and attempting to con each of them into buying his sad tale that he had been consigned to the sad task of wrangling the umpires before the next season. Now, perhaps not everyone meant Spliff in that same way, but everyone knew that it meant that you had attempted a ridiculous and rather unlikely scheme, one that would inevitably blow up in the perpetrator’s face. When Cedric Spliff, while famous as a lineup player for the Garages or the Moist Talkers, made his name on such odd and wacky schemes, why wouldn’t that be his legacy?</p>
<p> In another place, perhaps Mossyn says to Roman, “You know, you don’t have to be <em> so </em> Septemberish, right? You realize that?” Only to have Roman roll zir eyes and mutter something about being gay and ridiculous.</p>
<p>After all, why couldn’t Roman being extremely enthusiastic be similar to Comfort Septemberish’s tendency to be exuberant and loud and open about who they are and what they enjoy at all hours of the day? And wasn’t it such a nice and kind legacy to have? To have a legacy following you where you are open and bright and honest with everyone, even if others might think it not beneficial. </p>
<p>It wasn’t hard to find more of these phrases and words around the Immaterial Plane once one began to pay attention to them. In some ways, it was only to be expected, as much of the year and life was wrapped up around witnessing the larger-than-life spectacle that was the cultural phenomenon of Blaseball. When one’s life centered around the ebbs and flows of the game and season of blaseball, even in the quietest and remotest regions where they might pretend to ignore such things, one grew attuned to these phrases and players and events in the season that lent themselves to such transformation and adoption. In other ways, though, it was one of the least expected aspects that sprung out from the culture around blaseball. Certainly some players didn’t have such phrases, nor did anyone set out to <em> create </em> such phrases, but before long, most players and fans had such idioms incorporated into their every-day language. It was common, usual, expected.</p>
<p>What became hard was when the incinerations began, when the namesakes of the expressions were dragged into the shadows or went up in smoke and fire and flames. Would people stop using them? Would they use them <em> more </em> than before?</p>
<p>There was a period where both seemed to be equally likely. People stopped saying that they were a Jaylen after the first incineration. While they may still lead unions and unionization efforts, they weren’t about to bring her name into such conversations that didn’t seem worthy of her name. However, as Landry Violence appeared, it was rare to hear anyone bid lost players off in peace. Their idiom slowly changed from wishing someone good Violence, to wishing that someone rest in Violence, that was what people wished. Violence and to constantly fight against the unfair forces of the world. Rest in Violence, rest in Landry, and rest alongside their friends and family they had lost before them. </p>
<p>The only time a phrase was created whole-cloth and began to be used <em> after </em> an untimely incineration was in the case of Sebastian Telephone’s idiom. </p>
<p>Sebastian Telephone, forever overshadowed in life by his twin sister, the ever-popular Jessica Telephone (<em>jess</em>, adj. <em>to appear bright, garish, eye-catching and to catch all the senses with one’s outward appearance. “Lisa Frank notebooks and binders are really jess, even at their most reserved,”</em>) despite his own accomplishments, was the center of the next expression that caught like a wildfire incineration throughout the league. Oddly, this was one expression that was far more common with the players, rather than the fans, though that was perhaps because of the definition of this particular phrase. </p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><em> To ring the little bell, </em> v.<br/><em> A. The act of sacrifice, usually one that would end in death, performed to save someone else. <br/>   "The prevailing theory regarding Randall Marijuana’s death is that he rang the little bell for Sandoval Crossing.”<br/></em> B. The act of multiple sacrifices performed by one person.<br/>   "Sebastian rang the little bell during the final battle with the Shelled One while playing for the Hall Monitor.” <em><br/></em></p>
</blockquote><p> </p>
<p>The phrase came into being after Sebastian’s first incineration, leading towards the words being heard as a cry as players restrained their own whenever rogue umpires looked to be heating up. </p>
<p>“Don’t ring the little bell, you <em> can’t </em> ring the little bell!” </p>
<p>Perhaps the words were a promise, that no one would be missed more or less than the intended victim of the rogue umpire. Perhaps instead the words were a desperate plea to keep them from inflicting survivor’s guilt upon the player they saved. Perhaps it was simply a reminder that such actions would rarely actually succeed, and usually ended up with far more hurt than just a singular player. </p>
<p>The words were frequent, with players clinging to each other and murmuring them to each other after the events of each incineration.</p>
<p>“I couldn’t let you ring the little bell. I couldn’t let you do that. Don’t you ever try to ring the little bell again.” </p>
<p>Grimy, and covered in ash and soot and smoke, the players curled up in each other’s arms as they watched the ashes of the incinerated players scatter and blow in the wind before the umpires yelled at them to get back into position, to ready the field for play once more. They would whisper and murmur the words as a promise together, and return to the dugouts, and the words would quietly echo throughout the stadium. </p>
<p>Perhaps it wasn’t the legacy that Sebastian Telephone wanted. Perhaps it wasn’t the legacy that he deserved, but...it was certainly the legacy that he left behind. </p>
<p>Two beautiful sacrifices that allowed the cards to fall and end the Shelled One’s reign of terror. </p>
<p>At least <em> that </em> was what he deserved.</p>
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